ROCCO (Rocky) RUSSO
Memories of a Life Well Lived

Rocky, top right, at his surprise 90th surprise birthday party held at ALFE'S this past summer. And in 1943, while he was home on leavy from the service.

My brother, Rocco Russo, celebrated his 90th birday on April 22, 2010!!! Quite a milestone and one well deserved by the best, kindest, unselfish son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend anyone could wish for...Roc, or Rocky as he was known by all, was born the middle son of Raymond and Margaret Russo. He was a devoted son to them both, resigning his job with Sealtest before he became elgible for a pension to help his sister, Doris, care for thier mother who was ill, and help in the family business.

Roc may never have had children of his own, but his nieces and nephews became his children and he became their second father. We surprised him with a dinner party and nieces and nephews and friends told funny, warm, and heartfelt stories about Roc in the years they have all known him, and growing up with him in their lives.

I am his sister, Doris Wade, and I write this because I was not emotionally able to speak my thoughts at his party. Growing up with Rocky was fun. He always made the family proud, in all these years, I have never heard a derogatory remark about him. He was a great dancer and whenever we attended dances on the same nights, he always made sure he danced at least one with me and made sure I was going to get home safely.....Big Brother caring for little sister!

Graduating from Wildwood High School in 1939, he was drafted into the army along with many of his childhood friends: Mario Silvidio, Lou Bishop, Dom Cappachione and Willie Raucci. He served his country by guarding the Pacific West Coast of the United States, i. e. Washington and Oregon Coastlines. His oldest brother, Butch, served in the Seabees in Hawaii, and Ott, the youngest brother served in the Army overseas in Belguim. Uncle Wally Loscalzo was an MP in the Army. Happily, they all returned safely. At my wedding in 1946, I had invited my favorite teacher, Marie (Fath) Greenwood. He danced with her most of the evening, and she told me later how much she enjoyed herself that night! As a young man, he worked on the boardwalk in “PennyLand” for Mayor Harry Steele. I sure had a good time with my friends playing all the machines with his help!

When we lost our daughter, Donna, in a horseback riding accident, it was Roc who went with us to the hospital to identify her body....no easy task for him, because he lived with us every winter while our parents were in Florida, and had seen her grow up for 14 yrs.

Did I need a babysitter? Roc was there....Need someone to cover the desk at our Starfire Motel for a couple of hours? Roc was there....Needed a vacation? Roc’s condo in Hollywood, Fl. always had an open door...and in his words when you got settled in “ You’re on your own...enjoy yourselves, and don’t worry about me...have fun”.... you know, it is funny, the things you reminisce about when growing older, but what I remember was how even tempered he always was and still is...the only thing that would get him riled up while we were young was for one of us to call him “skinny”....but he was!! But he was so handsome, when he got dressed up, Mom would say, “My son, the doctor”....Working for Sealtest Milk Co. he had to be at work by 4AM...all year long...But that did not stop him from being sure to be here at our house on Christmas morning to see our children open their gifts, even if it meant by taking an hour or two from his route meant he had to work later...he did all these things with the warmest of hearts, and never complained or bragged about doing them...just did it because that was his way.

He moved back here with us in Wildwood Crest in 2008, and we couldn’t be happier to have him living practically next door. He may have been on a walker and had many health issues, and we may have had to pick him up and drive him around the corner for dinner, and later, in a wheel chair (which we all did gladly, but believe me, there was nothing wrong with his mind....he still worked his crossword puzzles, and loved to tell his little sister how to drive and how he wanted things done...and I loved it!!!!....that was my brother Roc.

Sadly he left us on Saturday, Sept.4, 2010, Labor Day Weeked. Very fitting, I think, because his life was a “Labor of Love”. It was evident by the many young people who came and shared their stories of his thoughtfulness and genorousity to them when they were young, working and attending college.

So we say “Good-bye, Rocky, Uncle Roc, thank you for being the person you were”....’love ya....